United Kingdom (UK) - Leisure and Entertainment

Popular leisure activities include eating out, night clubs, attractions, theatre, music, and expat clubs. There are several entertainment venues throughout London, Belfast, Edinburgh, Cardiff and most other cities. Whether you wish to explore central London or have decided to live in another city in the UK, you will be able to visit historic buildings, museums and galleries that will give you a feel for the area. There is a smoking ban in restaurants and all enclosed public places including tourist attractions.

Access to London Sites

The Londonpass (http://www.londonpass.com) provides free entry to more than 50 attractions throughout the city. Newspapers such as the Sunday Times or Thursday's Evening Standard often publish special deals on theatre performances. Time Out is a weekly magazine and website which publishes reviews and deals for entertainment all over London and some other major cities in England.

Major Cultural Attractions in London

In London the most popular attractions include the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussaud's, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, London Bridge, the National Gallery and the National History Museum. The Londonpass offers free and discounted entry to dozens of attractions and is valid for 12 months.

Theatre

Big West End productions of shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Billy Elliot are also popular. The Royal Shakespeare Company, local theatres and some pubs hold affordably-priced theatre shows and gigs.

London has several major orchestras and opera companies, as well as places that offer rock, jazz, blues and world music shows, concerts and festivals throughout the year. Popular venues include courtyards, pubs, churches, clubs, bars, entertainment centres, parks and theatres.

Nightlife

Most London pubs close at 11:00pm, including local neighbourhood pubs. New laws have been introduced, however, so that all approved venues can extend these licensed hours.

Sport plays a big part in UK leisure activity. All-England Championships are hosted at Wimbledon; international rugby at Twickenham; horse racing at Royal Ascot; cricket at Lord's; Formula 1 motor racing at Silverstone; and the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium for football fans. Sports are a huge pastime, whether one goes to a game or sits in a bar to watch it on the screen.

Dining Out

Dining with friends is another popular pastime in the UK. There will usually be several local restaurants to choose from in each area, and for special occasions a well-renowned venue such as Whatley Manor or The Fat Duck may be appropriate.

Other UK Capital Cities

The list below is not comprehensive, however there are plenty of activities around the UK both in major cities and smaller towns, whether you are looking for theatres, clubs, bars, or dining options.

There are a number of national holidays and festivals in the UK. The main ones are listed below:

• New Year’s Day – 1st January
• Valentine’s Day – 14th February
• St. David’s Day – 1st March
• St. Patrick’s Day – 17th March
• Shrove Tuesday – date changes depending on the year
• Lent – date changes depending on the year
• Mothering Sunday – date changes depending on the year
• Maundy Thursday – date changes depending on the year
• Easter – date changes depending on the year
• April Fool’s Day – 1st April
• St. George’s Day – 23rd April
• May Day – 1st May
• Trooping the Colour – date changes depending on the year
• Wimbledon Tennis Tournament – date changes depending on the year
• Swan Upping – date changes depending on the year
• Notting Hill Carnival – date changes depending on the year
• Harvest Festival – 1st August
• Halloween – 31st October
• Guy Fawkes’/Bonfire Night – 12th November
• Remembrance Day – 11th November
• St. Andrew’s Day – 30th November
• Advent – date changes depending on the year
• Christmas Eve – 24th December
• Christmas Day – 25th December
• Boxing Day – 26th December
• New Year’s Eve – 31st December

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